What Makes You A Basketball Expert

[THE HCP]

Got called out by some random guy on here in a thread earlier and it got me to thinking.
He claimed he was “Sure he knew more about the game than me.”
So I was wondering how do you measure basketball IQ?
Does a kid who’s dad was a coach growing up know more than a talk show host? Does a beat reporter know more than somebody who grew up playing in the parks everyday and then went home and watched games recorded on the VCR? Does a PR guy who works for an NBA team know more than somebody who played in high school? With so many self appointed hoop experts on here, I’d love to see how guys in here acquired their knowledge.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Never claim to be an expert on Basketball. I've loved the game for about as long as I remember. I played all my life. I wanted to coach since I was in HS, played in HS. I thought I was really good in college (I wasn't). I don't know. I love the X's and O's of basketball. Do I think I "know" more than Stotts or an NBA player? no. I do know enough to point out when a play was good or bad though. I've spent my hours watching tape just like they do. Your parents don't really matter when it comes to your knowledge though. My dad is considered a great businessman by most of his colleagues (and he is really smart), but I know essentially nothing about that stuff.

 

[e_blazer]

Just love the game. I have since I was a kid. I’ve watched a ton of NBA basketball, but I’ve never claimed to be anything more than a fan. I know a lot of guys on here have played and coached. I respect their opinions, but take them with a grain of salt. I pretty much start from the viewpoint that Stotts and his crew have way more basketball knowledge than anyone here, so I am slow to call for changes.

Mrs. HCP says she loves me anyway.

 

[Strenuus]

I'm fucking dumb.

 

[kjironman1]

I'm an expert in my own mind for damn sure!

 

[tlongII]

I think it’s due to my immense intellectual capacity.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Got called out by some random guy on here in a thread earlier and it got me to thinking.
He claimed he was “Sure he knew more about the game than me.”
So I was wondering how do you measure basketball IQ?
Does a kid who’s dad was a coach growing up know more than a talk show host? Does a beat reporter know more than somebody who grew up playing in the parks everyday and then went home and watched games recorded on the VCR? Does a PR guy who works for an NBA team know more than somebody who played in high school? With so many self appointed hoop experts on here, I’d love to see how guys in here acquired their knowledge.

What makes an expert?
1) You need to know something about competition, sports, and basketball in particular.

2) You need to know something about the salary cap.
This is huge, and why it's hard to listen to most "fans." They may have a lot of knowledge about basketball, but their "trade ideas" are ridiculous.

3) You need some sort of critical thinking to go with some basic understanding of logical fallacies.

4) You need to know when to defer to the judgment of others.
What's great about s2 is that we have a ref expert, international scouting expert, salary cap experts, tech experts... We have members who have great insights. We have members who'll spend too much time (imho) tracking down relevant stats and other info.

5) You need to be willing to change your mind.
You need to be willing to admit your mistakes, and move on.

6) You need to have a little fun.
It doesn't matter how much of an expert one is, if they are an asshole, period.

@HCP is really good with 1) and 6), but not great at all of the others. This may be why he was "called out". OTOH, sometimes s2ers are "aggressive", and sometimes s2ers "don't get" his humor.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

What makes an expert?
1) You need to know something about competition, sports, and basketball in particular.

2) You need to know something about the salary cap.
This is huge, and why it's hard to listen to most "fans." They may have a lot of knowledge about basketball, but their "trade ideas" are ridiculous.

3) You need some sort of critical thinking to go with some basic understanding of logical fallacies.

4) You need to know when to defer to the judgment of others.
What's great about s2 is that we have a ref expert, international scouting expert, salary cap experts, tech experts... We have members who have great insights. We have members who'll spend too much time (imho) tracking down relevant stats and other info.

5) You need to be willing to change your mind.
You need to be willing to admit your mistakes, and move on.

6) You need to have a little fun.
It doesn't matter how much of an expert one is, if they are an asshole, period.

@HCP is really good with 1) and 6), but not great at all of the others. This may be why he was "called out". OTOH, sometimes s2ers are "aggressive", and sometimes s2ers "don't get" his humor.

I agree with quite a bit of this post. Some minor things but nothing worth pointing out. Good post.

Oh and honestly I think my weakest part is the CBA, and all the different Cap rules, I usually differ to @hoopsjock or a few others like @Scalma who knows that stuff better than I do.

 

[Blazers Roy]

A few days ago, a user who goes by the name "B-Roy" taught me about the sorcery of an ancient magical formula called "True shooting percentage" and now i am a basketball Expert.

 

[theprunetang]

I'm a stable genius when it comes to basketball.

Just kidding. I love the game, but always sucked at it. I know a bit, but also don't know everything.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

/CloseThread

 

[hoopsjock]

It's hard to measure who has more knowledge than someone else but there are definitely posters who prove with their posts that they aren't very knowledgeable.

As for you specifically @THE HCP you mostly post jokes or Twitter/Instagram type stuff and rarely post basketball analysis or breakdowns as to what is going right/wrong in certain situations. That's not to say you are or aren't knowledgeable but I can see why someone would question your actual knowledge based on not seeing it here.

 

[H.C.]

You're an expert if you predicted Portland getting over 23 wins the season after Portland lost 4 starters in FA.
If you predicted 23 or less, you're far from an expert.


idk whats even going on but looks like a bait thread to me.

 

[Cugel]

I know more than a casual fan and that's because I read a lot. Bbiq? I have would test low compared to stotts fwiw

 

[SheedSoNasty]

I’m sure my basketball IQ is lower than I’d like to admit considering how much I love this team and how many games I’ve watched. Probably a reason why I don’t post as much or get into arguments with people about basketball.

I think most of the arguments I’ve had throughout the years has been about people not being nice to one another. I’m a teacher, so go figure.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I think most that post here, including myself, fall under the category of super fans vs basketball experts.

 

[tlongII]

I don’t post basketball analysis here because I’m not getting paid for it. If S2 were to pay me say $1.000 for a 1,000 word essay I might consider it.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I don’t post basketball analysis here because I’m not getting paid for it. If S2 were to pay me say $1.000 for a 1,000 word essay I might consider it.

You’re cheap.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

I coached high school juniors and seniors in a rec league for two years. Both years we won the championship. We only had a few different plays on offense but our calling card was our defense. 1-3-1 trap was particularly successful and I made them play really good help defense. I'm definitely no expert on anything basketball related though. I don't think many people are, to be honest.

 

[PDXFonz]

Well I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night...(No I didn't)

 

[riverman]

I'm a stable genius when it comes to basketball.

Just kidding. I love the game, but always sucked at it. I know a bit, but also don't know everything.

You took my answer! (Only the first part) I'll have to go with "I'm a psychic"

 

[THE HCP]

It's hard to measure who has more knowledge than someone else but there are definitely posters who prove with their posts that they aren't very knowledgeable.

As for you specifically @THE HCP you mostly post jokes or Twitter/Instagram type stuff and rarely post basketball analysis or breakdowns as to what is going right/wrong in certain situations. That's not to say you are or aren't knowledgeable but I can see why someone would question your actual knowledge based on not seeing it here.

Good point. But what do people use this forum for? To prove something? I sure don’t. I come on here to have fun. I’m not here to talk a player’s efficiency numbers. I’m not on here to prove what I know to strangers. I grew up playing this game at the parks with future NBA players and going home and watching it whenever it was on TV. I’m a fan of the game.
I don’t have time to study the salary cap.
On the other hand, if somebody is a basketball junkie and comes on here everyday to prove something, more power to them. I don’t use the internet for that type of thing.

I didn’t mean to have this thread be about me, I was interested more in what makes somebody knowledgeable of the game. I just had dinner with an NBA scout, an announcer, a capologist, an coach...... we talked all aspects of the game for 3 hours....... I think I handled myself pretty well. I’d rather prove my knowledge face to face than with a keyboard.

 

[THE HCP]

idk whats even going on but looks like a bait thread to me.

I wanted to understand how people acquire knowledge of the game, and what makes somebody more knowledgeable than somebody else. Not sure why this would confuse you.

 

[THE HCP]

I think most that post here, including myself, fall under the category of super fans vs basketball experts.

WHich brings up and interesting point. Does a fans “FANATICISM” interfere with their knowledge of the game? Their hate for another team change their opinion?

 

[kjironman1]

Good point. But what do people use this forum for? To prove something? I sure don’t. I come on here to have fun. I’m not here to talk a player’s efficiency numbers. I’m not on here to prove what I know to strangers. I grew up playing this game at the parks with future NBA players and going home and watching it whenever it was on TV. I’m a fan of the game.
I don’t have time to study the salary cap.
On the other hand, if somebody is a basketball junkie and comes on here everyday to prove something, more power to them. I don’t use the internet for that type of thing.

I didn’t mean to have this thread be about me, I was interested more in what makes somebody knowledgeable of the game. I just had dinner with an NBA scout, an announcer, a capologist, an coach...... we talked all aspects of the game for 3 hours....... I think I handled myself pretty well. I’d rather prove my knowledge face to face than with a keyboard.

This thread might not be about you but that sure is a great post.
Blazers are entertainment. S2 is entertainment. I come here to hang and laugh. I work at work.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Good point. But what do people use this forum for? To prove something? I sure don’t. I come on here to have fun. I’m not here to talk a player’s efficiency numbers. I’m not on here to prove what I know to strangers. I grew up playing this game at the parks with future NBA players and going home and watching it whenever it was on TV. I’m a fan of the game.
I don’t have time to study the salary cap.
On the other hand, if somebody is a basketball junkie and comes on here everyday to prove something, more power to them. I don’t use the internet for that type of thing.

I didn’t mean to have this thread be about me, I was interested more in what makes somebody knowledgeable of the game. I just had dinner with an NBA scout, an announcer, a capologist, an coach...... we talked all aspects of the game for 3 hours....... I think I handled myself pretty well. I’d rather prove my knowledge face to face than with a keyboard.

Its just fun to talk basketball. Id talk basketball with just about anyone. Thats what I use this place for at least originally but the longer Im here I have gotten more talkative on other subjects.

I work with a bunch of engineers, who have 0 interest in sports, so I dont have the same options as you do because of our jobs. Though if the Blazers want to invite me to their next road trip that sounds fun lol.

 

[kjironman1]

WHich brings up and interesting point. Does a fans “FANATICISM” interfere with their knowledge of the game? Their hate for another team change their opinion?

Absolutely. Take Russell Westbrook for example. Portland fans hate the dude so much a Triple Double is a bad game.

 

[kjironman1]

And Now Russ is playing for HOUSTON!

 

[SlyPokerDog]

WHich brings up and interesting point. Does a fans “FANATICISM” interfere with their knowledge of the game? Their hate for another team change their opinion?

Dude, don't care how you spin it, THE LAKERS FUCKING SUCK!

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

WHich brings up and interesting point. Does a fans “FANATICISM” interfere with their knowledge of the game? Their hate for another team change their opinion?

To some extent, I hate, hate, hate watching a few guys play who really are great basketball players but I just hate their games.

I can admit for the most part that they’re good players though.